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Alumna’s Law Practice Celebrates 20 Years of Service to Central Florida
Attorney, professor and mentor are just some of the words that can be used to describe alumna Terry Bledsoe, ’87. She graduated from UCF with a bachelor’s degree in political science and has since made a profound effect on the Central Florida community. Bledsoe was always very active in the community even while she was […]
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Examining the Political Economy of Strikes
Dr. Kerstin Hamann, Professor and Chair of the Political Science Department, and her collaborators Alison Johnston (Oregon State University) and John Kelly (Birkbeck College, University of London) published their article “Unions Against Governments: Explaining General Strikes in Western Europe,1980–2006.” The article appeared in the September issue of Comparative Political Studies, a leading journal in the […]
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Political Science Department Welcomes New Faculty Member – Michael Mousseau
Michael Mousseau is a political economist with a primary focus on the causes of war and peace. He received his Ph.D. from Binghamton University (1998) after several years of ethnographic study in the Middle-East (1984, 1991), Central America (1985, 1987), the Soviet Union (1991), East Africa (1991), India (1992), and China (1992). He joined […]
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Shining Knights, October’s Featured Graduate, Patrick Stewart, ’88
Author, researcher and educator, Patrick Stewart, ’88, said, ‘“Be prepared to pay your dues to realize your dreams. Being great at anything means working very hard for a long time.” Stewart has certainly taken his own advice and over the years has slowly turned his dreams into a reality. “Without a solid start in my […]
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Memorial Service for Professor Dwight Kiel on October 4th
We invite you to attend a memorial service for Professor Dwight Kiel, Political Science, on Friday October 4, at 1:00 pm in the Fairwinds Alumni Center on the UCF campus. Professor Kiel joined UCF in 1990 as an Assistant Professor in the Political Science Department. His research focused on political theory and public policy, especially […]
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American Politics with a Twist
Dr. Terri Susan Fine, political science professor at UCF, will teach “Jews in American Politics” on four Monday nights—Sept. 30, Oct. 7, Oct. 14, and Oct. 28—from 7 to 8:15 during Beit Hamidrash at the Jewish Academy of Orlando. The adult course, which is separate from the students’ classes, is open to the public. Participants are […]
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Alumna Credits Success to Volunteering
“Never believe that a few caring people can’t change the world. For, indeed, that’s all who ever have,” said Anthropologist, Margaret Mead. Alumna Jessica Schwendeman, ’10, has a big heart to go along with her caring and warm personality and has always been one of the few ready to lend a helping hand whenever and […]
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Fall 2013 Law School Admissions Workshop
Law School Admissions Workshop When: September 23, 2013 Time: 4:30 PM – 6 PM Where: CB1 – 121 The College of Sciences and the Department of Legal Studies are holding a Law School Admissions Workshop at the above location. Dr. Roger Handberg, Prelaw Advisor for the College of Sciences and Dr. David Slaughter, Prelaw […]
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Security in the Caucasus
Dr. Houman Sadri is an associate professor in the political science department at UCF. He has been with the university since 1995 and teaches courses in international relations, American government and world political geography. He recently received a $3,000 teaching grant from the Global European Studies Institute in Germany to lecture for the graduate level […]
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Afghanistan 2014
On Sept. 11, Dr. Roger Kangas, Dean of the Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies, visited the Political Science Department to give a presentation on “Afghanistan 2014: Security Challenges to the Neighboring States.” Dr. Kangas has vast research and policy experience in the Central Asian region. He previously served as as a Professor […]
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Dr. Kerstin Hamann Appointed to Serve on Editorial Board of APSR
Dr. Kerstin Hamann, professor and chair of the Political Science Department, has recently been appointed to serve on the editorial board of the American Political Science Review, the top-ranked journal in political science. In addition, she has recently been appointed to the editorial board of South European Society & Politics. Dr. Hamann also serves on the […]
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Taking the Situation in Syria to the Radio Waves
Dr. Houman Sadri, associate professor of political science, was interviewed on a local radio program on Monday, September 9. He was asked to break down the situation in Syria in simple terms that the audience could understand. He explained how we got to where we are currently and what is next, from a completely unbiased point of view. To […]
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Alumnus Shares Advice for UCF Students Seeking to Work in D.C.
Marc Alberts, ’11, graduated from UCF with a bachelor’s degree in political science on the international relations and comparative politics track and a minor in Spanish. Shortly after graduation, Alberts arrived in Washington, D.C. to work as an intern for a governmental affairs office in the downtown area. His internship helped him get another paid […]
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University of Central Florida Named Top College for Political Science Majors
The University of Central Florida has been recognized for excellence in Political Science education. AffordableCollegesOnline.org, a website aimed at helping students find affordable college options and providing information about financial aid and college rankings, recently identified the top 20 Political Science programs in the United States with the highest return on investment (ROI). The University […]
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Alumna’s Degree Takes Her Around The World
To say that Marlene Nilsson, ’97, is well traveled would be putting things mildly. Working in places like Chad, Egypt, Sudan, Libya and Saudi Arabia this alumna has been all over the world. Her career is what allowed her to become so worldly, but Marlene credits her education at UCF for helping her succeed in […]
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COS Alumni Make the List
Orlando Magazine recently released the names of Orlando’s 50 most powerful people for 2013. The 10th annual list showcased a diverse mix of leaders in the Orlando community. As the magazine noted, these movers and shakers possess the power to move and inspire others. Among those listed include University of Central Florida President, John Hitt, […]
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COS/UCF mourns the loss of Associate Professor Dwight C. Kiel in the Department of Political Science
The College of Sciences is sad to report Dwight C. Kiel, Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science, passed away August 8, 2013. Professor Kiel joined UCF in 1990 as an Assistant Professor in the Political Science Department. His research focused on political theory and public policy, especially in the areas of education and environmental […]
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Journey from Sergeant to Top Attorney
When it comes to describing UCF alumnus Jason Odom, ’97, there is no shortage of words. He was very motivated and hardworking during his years at UCF; however, Odom wasn’t like your typical student. While studying to receive his degree from UCF he also served in the United States Marine Corps Reserve from 1993 to […]
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Alumnus Discusses Public Policy and Billboards
Chad Harvey, ’96, graduated from UCF with a bachelor’s degree in political science and since then has become a very accomplished real estate professional. He has experience in acquisitions, dispositions, leasing, entitlements, development and business negotiations which has led him to a very interesting job with CBS Outdoor as a real estate manager. CBS Outdoor […]
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UCF Alumna Took the Bull by the Horns
Elizabeth Bertrand, ’09, came to UCF exploring several different majors but eventually found the perfect combination and graduated with two bachelor’s degrees — one in advertising-public relations and one in political science. She wasted no time taking the bull by the horns once she figured out her educational path at UCF, and started paving the […]
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Alumnus Named Assistant Director for the Orlando DDB/CRA
David Barilla, 06, has had a hand in the development of Orlando since he began his career with the City of Orlando Downtown Development Board and Community Redevelopment Agency (DDB/CRA) in 2010. He worked for two years as the economic development coordinator III and worked on key projects such as the $165 million 55 West […]
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UCF Alumna’s Travels Enhance Her Educational Experience
Karina Konz, ’12, is originally from Germany and began her college career at Temple University in Tokyo, Japan. In 2011, she transferred to UCF as an international student and graduated in December 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in political science and a minor in philosophy. Having traveled to and lived in several different places, Konz […]
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Alumna’s UCF Experiences Help Her Land Job in New York
One look at Sabrina Stein’s, ’10, resume and you would be impressed with her list of accomplishments. From juggling part-time jobs to holding many leadership positions within student organizations to multiple presentations at conferences, Stein is a great example of a how student pursuing experience in their field while in college can lead to a […]
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Alumnus Reflects on the Opportunities UCF Provided
UCF alumnus, Gilbert Zhang, ’10, graduated from UCF with a master’s degree in political science. When he reflects on his time at UCF, Zhang says, “UCF stands for opportunity, the motto that I have remembered since my first day at UCF, and it truly does. My time as a UCF student was a great experience […]
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Special Issue of JPSE: Simulations in Political Science
A new issue of the Journal of Political Science Education edited by three Political Science faculty at UCF – Kerstin Hamann, Hutch Pollock and Bruce Wilson – is now in print. Volume 9, Number 2 is a special issue with nine peer-reviewed articles focusing on various aspects of the use of simulations in political science […]
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The First Steps on The Right Career Path
A few years ago UCF came out with the slogan “UCF Stands for Opportunity,” and Lauren Doney, ’11, credits her career success from the many unique opportunities UCF offers its students. While pursuing her bachelor’s degree in political science and pre-law, UCF provided her with two years of internship and real-world work experience that gave […]
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Alumnus Combines His Passion for Science with Law
David Frost once said, “Don’t aim for success if you want it; just do what you love and believe in it, and it will come naturally.” Alumnus, Christopher T. Byrd, ’04, is a great example of someone who worked hard and has a successful career because he found a job that involves his passion and […]
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Alumnus Creates His Own Path to Success
Kevin Varela, ’10, started the international relations track through the UCF Political Science Department with hopes of one day getting a nice cozy job as a diplomat. However, his journey through UCF’s international relations, women’s studies, and Latin American studies programs opened not only his mind, but his desires. “International relations taught me about how […]
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Alumnus Combines Political Science Goals With Soccer Dreams
Antti Laitinen, ’00, started his studies at UCF in the fall of 1997 with the help of an athletic scholarship. He came to Central Florida from Finland and was recruited as the men’s soccer goalkeeper. His goal was to graduate and then return to Finland. Because he was interested in working either as a journalist, […]
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COS Alumni Welcome Future UCF Knight
Congratulations to Christopher Tomko,’07, and Helen Pastrana, ’07, on welcoming their first child and future UCF Knight, Christian Anthony Tomko, on Jan. 24, 2013 in Dallas, Texas. Christopher Tomko and Helen Pastrana are both graduates from UCF’s College of Sciences. Tomko graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science and is also a Kappa Sigma […]